There are over 30,000 non-profits using Facebook Pages. Through the application Causes more than $5M has been raised since 2006 benefiting over 150,000 different causes.
Why use Facebook for your Non-profit?
There are over 30,000 non-profits using Facebook Pages. Through the application Causes more than $5M has been raised since 2006 benefiting over 150,000 different causes.
This Page is a resource for non-profits and other organizations for social good. We built it to help you harness the power of Facebook and bring positive change to the world. Facebook empowers non-profits by enabling them to mobilize communities, organize events, increase fundraising, reduce costs with free online tools, and raise awareness through viral networks.
Once you’ve joined Facebook, here are some things you can do to establish an interactive presence on Facebook and engage your community:
Raise Awareness
- Facebook Ads promote your organization or programs and can be highly targeted to a demographic, region, network or by interest keywords
- News Feed helps your organization or programs get discovered virally by our users
Mobilize Communities
- Facebook Pages help you connect with an audience
- Groups help you build a strong community
Organize Events
- Events are easy to plan and help you mobilize volunteers and activists
Increase Fundraising
- Causes allows you to raise money and recruit donors through Facebook
Reduce Costs*
- Discussion Boards on Groups or Pages are great for forum discussions
- Mass messaging using Groups or Pages Updates spreads the word easily and is free to use
- Notes are great to blog about your organization’s recent activities
- Posted Items allow you to share relevant links
*Most tools and applications available on Facebook are free to use
Examples
Non-profits are using Pages, Groups, Events and Applications to raise awareness, mobilize support, share information, fundraise, and plan events. Below are just a few examples of the tens of thousands of non-profit organizations that are leveraging Facebook. We are always interested in more examples - please post more examples on the discussion board.
Pages
Facebook Pages are always open and viewable to the public. They’re great for outreach and information sharing with current and potential supporters and donors. Check out some of these great examples of Pages and become a fan to get their latest updates:
- Susan G. Komen for the Cure
- Greenpeace International
- Kiva :: Loans that Change Lives
- LIVESTRONG
- Stand Up to Cancer
- TechSoup
- Creative Commons
- Faster Cures
Groups
Groups can be open or have restricted membership. Open groups are good for larger groups. Closed or secret groups work well for organizing your members into a smaller, safe environment or having more intimate conversations about your organization. They are also good for organizing local supporters in a region around specific programs. Here are a few example of public groups:
Events
Events can be offline or online events, and may be open or by invitation. They’re great for planning activities, getting RSVPs, or sending reminders. Here are a few examples of public events:
- Gran Marcha Nacional del 20 de Julio
- Complimentary Webinar: Social Media for Social Good
- Global Day of Action on Climate
Getting Started on Facebook
Here are some tips to help your organization get started on Facebook:
- Create a user account on Facebook
- Create a Page as the external facing presence for your organization
- Invite members to spread the word to friends and family. Use Page updates to keep them informed about events and programs
- Utilize Events and local groups to organize supporters
Now you’re ready to begin outreach and start fundraising for your cause. Here are some tools to help you:
- Install the Causes Application to enable donations through the site. If you are a non-profit that would like to work directly with Causes, please e-mail their Non-profit Partner Team at partner@causes.com.
- Run targeted ads to increase outreach
There is a Facebook resources center and community on TechSoup that is full of valuable articles and guides. Please learn more at TechSoup Facebook Community .
